Legislation is pending that would require legal gun owners to purchase liability insurance or give up our guns. This legislation has nothing to do with insurance or liability Its sole purpose is to use the insurance companies to make easily available to the federal government a complete list of the names and addresses of every law-abiding gun owner in the country.

Hall County is in desperate need of foster homes, because families in crisis need our community support. I see several charitable efforts within our county, but there is one need that I believe is sadly overlooked by many. I am not altogether certain that people even know that we need more foster parents. I am optimistic that once the wonderful faith-based community of Hall County learns about this need, it will rise to the challenge.

There is lot of talk lately about violent crime among young blacks. I keep hearing people say it all comes down to individual choice. Are they suggesting young black men simply make far more bad choices than young white men?

Let me see if I have this right: An adult male in an orange prison jumpsuit with his hands handcuffed in front and restrained by a waist chain is able to hide in a doorway near the courthouse and nobody noticed him?

I've been a subscriber of The Times since moving to Dahlonega five years ago, and I want to commend and thank you for your excellence in several very different areas, specifically your coverage of international events and the daily reporting of the Tour de France during the three weeks in July when it occurs.

Sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, hearing loss, contamination of soil, air and water causing various health ailments; these are factors that officials should consider before issuing Conditional Use Variances and special permits that allow industrial operations in or adjacent to residential areas.

Northbound Peachtree Industrial Boulevard at Lanier Islands Parkway is a nightmare. What was once two lanes northbound, with a right-turn lane and a left-turn lane, is now a single lane northbound with only a left-turn lane. Traffic flow through the area has turned into a single line of cars up to a half-mile long, forced to navigate a maze of orange construction barrels.

As members of both the Hall and Cherokee Chamber of Commerce, we are proud to support and work with our local business leaders to foster a thriving economic network in and around the Gainesville area. Simply put, we know that the work of our local chambers is of paramount importance, and that businesses continue to flock to our area because of its invaluable resources.

On July 6, I let my wife out of my pickup truck at a local restaurant. The sky had opened up, and the rainfall was tremendous. I then drove to a parking space, opened the door and my umbrella, locked the door and stepped out.

I want to thank the Hall County Fire Department for carrying me out of Chicopee Woods on July 10. I was working with a crew from the Elachee Nature Science Center in the deep woods on a project. I was unable to get out on my own due to my injuries and was so grateful to see these guys.